Tips

By my second month as CEO, it was clear the problems weren’t just operational. They were existential. Yes, we had tough business challenges—unprofitable accounts, upset customers, a bleeding acquisition. But beneath all that was something harder to name: noise. Everyone had a different idea of what the company should be doing. Everyone had a theory […]

I thought I was ready. After five years as CFO of an electronics manufacturing services company, I had helped lead a financial turnaround, revamped our reporting systems, and earned the trust of our founder and the board. I loved the business. I knew the people. I had been in the trenches. Then came the unexpected.

At C-Level #2 is the second blog of an eight-part series following a first time CEO’s educational journey in a very challenging business environment, exploring global concepts in leadership theory and practice. At the end of each blog are reflection questions for readers to consider as they navigate their own leadership journey. This post by

Do you have the right team to implement your strategy? What should that look like and how do you get there from here? When embarking on a new strategic endeavor, I evaluate the team based on: 1.    Desire and drive to achieve the mission and the vision of the organization 2.    Innate ability to consistently operate within

Moving from alternative evaluation to implementation strategy… In the prior article, you came up with ideas/alternatives for changing your business to help it stabilize, thrive and grow as it emerges from this crisis. The ideas were based on customer feedback and a high-level analysis of business impact and resource availability to implement. Now is the

What to start pushing forward on as you think about emerging from this crisis. You do need to push forward! In the prior two articles, you learned about communicating openly and honestly with your team and understanding your cash and credit resources to push forward. But what do you push forward on? Because this blog

In addition to your people…the present and future of your business depend on CASH! Do you know how much cash you have immediately available in the bank for the business? Do you have enough to cover your next payroll, the one after that, etc.? Do you have alternate sources of cash set up for temporary

PEOPLE always come first! Businesses are built and run by people. As a C-level leader, losing the trust and confidence of your people during a crisis can create additional serious challenges and make your current crisis even worse, and more. How you treat your people, especially in times of crisis, will be remembered for a